STAND. COM. REP. NO. 423

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 383

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 383 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Board of Education to establish and implement youth suicide awareness and prevention training programs and risk referral protocols in public schools, including charter schools.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Education, County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor, one member from the Hawaii County Council, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Family Forum, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, and thirteen individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii has very high rates of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation amongst various age groups, particularly among youth. Youth suicide is often connected to bullying, harassment, and discrimination in schools. Therefore, it is critical for the State to provide the proper training and system protocols to ensure safe learning environments that support the educational, emotional, and physical well-being of all students.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that all Department of Education school personnel who work directly with students shall be offered, rather than required to complete, youth suicide awareness and prevention training on an annual basis;

(2) Specifying that by September 15 of each year, each complex area and charter school shall report to the Department of Education on the prior school year training prevention activities completed, rather than on compliance with mandatory training requirements; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 383, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 383, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Human Services,

________________________________ RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair